Swimmers with Disabilities | Swimming VIC (original) (raw)

Classification is used to place athletes of similar ability or function into groups for competition.

Classification considers an athlete’s medical condition and their physical, sensory and cognitive attributes to group them into classes. In Australia classification is used to ensure fair and meaningful competition at all levels.

With thanks to Col Pearse, Sadat-Jon Hussain, Ryan McGrane, Phoebe Mitchell, Bradley Doolan, Madeline Fox and Geelong Swimming Club

There are 19 classes in the swimming classification system which cater for a range of disabilities. Each class has minimum eligibility requirements and swimmers must undergo specific Athlete Evaluation or Eligibility process to obtain a classification.

Swimmers receive a class for each stroke discipline, and a prefix indicates which stroke the class applies to.

There is a range of exception codes to the rules that can be applied to a swimmer's classification to ensure they are not disqualified during competition.

More information about the classification classes including the classification guide and exception codes can be found on the Swimming Australia website.

Swimmers with Physical/Functional Impairment (Classes 1-10)

Swimmers are assessed through physical testing and water observations. Muscle strength, movement co-ordination, joint range of movement and limb/trunk length contribute to the allocation of classes. Classes range from swimmers with most significant physical impairment (Class 1) to those with minimal impairment (Class 10).

Swimmers with Vision Impairment (Classes 11-13)

Ranges from Class 11 for swimmers who are blind to Class 13 for swimmers who are legally blind (i.e. acuity less than or equal to 6/60 or visual filed less than 20 degrees).

Swimmers with Intellectual Impairment (Classes 14,18,19)

Intellectual Impairment Virtus II-1 class S14

Swimmers with an IQ score of 75 or less; with significant limitations in adaptive behavior expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills; acquired prior to 18 years of age.

Intellectual impairment with a significant other impairment Virtus II-2 S18
Swimmers with a formal diagnosis of Down syndrome including type (Trisomy 21, etc.). For safety, athletes must not have symptomatic Atlantoaxial Instability (AAI)

Swimmers with intellectual disability who have satisfied the II-1 eligibility criteria, and meet the FAST test requirements

Note: Mosaic Down syndrome is not an eligible criteria for II-2

(High Functioning) Autism Virtus II–3 class S19

Swimmers with a Full-Scale score IQ of above 75, OR no diagnosis of intellectual disability, and; a formal diagnosis of Autism, ASD or Asperger’s syndrome

Note: Swimmers with Autism who meet the criteria for II1 intellectual disability will be classified in that class.

Swimmers with Hearing Loss (Class 15)
Swimmers who have a recognized hearing loss according to the following ICSD standards; deaf, defined as a hearing loss of at least 55dB in the better ear 3FAHL.

Swimmers who have received a transplant (Class 16)

Any person having undergone invasive treatment of a non-cosmetic nature requiring organs and/or tissues (excluding blood) donated by another person.

Transitioning Classification (Class 17)

Any person having previously been classified in the S1-16 pathway who is has or has had one or more of the above-mentioned impairments that currently not eligible or has the potential to be eligible in the future in the S1-16 classification range as determined by Swimming Australia.

For more information on the classes and eligibility requirements visit the National Classification Explanatory Guide and Multi Class Engagement Portal on the Swimming Australia website here.

For Intellectual impairment eligibility you can also visit the eligibility section of the Sports Inclusion Australia website.

Classification is required to compete in multi class competition at state, national and international level.

A Provisional classification is required to compete at school, club, local and regional levels of competition. The process to obtain this entry level classification sees a participant working with their home medical contact and provide supporting evidence to their application. This is then forwarded to an accredited classifier to assess and determine an outcome of eligibility.

A National classification is required to compete at state and national level competitions. This involves a face-to-face evaluation conducted by accredited classifiers

International classification is required to compete internationally. This process also involves a face-to-face evaluation conducted by accredited classifiers

More information about the classification process including the national classification Master List can be found on the Swimming Australia website.

For swimmers with a physical/ functional disability Swimming Victoria runs Classification Days annually . If you are a swimmer with a physical/functional disability, contact us at classification@vic.swimming.org.au to register your details for our next Classification day.

For swimmers with a visual impairment visit the classification section of the Paralympics Australia website.

For swimmers with an intellectual impairment visit the eligibility section of the Sports Inclusion Australia website.

For swimmers who are deaf visit the classification section of the Deaf Sports website.

For swimmers with a transplant visit the multi-class sports section of the Transplant Australia website.

For swimmers competing at school sport level provisional classification is required and more information can be found on the school sport Victoria website.